Sash-weight.



No. 832,701. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

, W. SANBORN.

SASH WEIGHT APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1906.

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I l bsgmzzorlg w w A NA 2 w WILLIAM s. SANBORN', 0F BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS.

SASHQWEIG'HT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906'.

Application filed M ch 22 1906. Serial No- 307,513;

-To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. SANBORN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Belmont, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sectional Sash-Weights, of which the following description, in. connection with the accompanying drawings, .is a

. specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts. v This invention has for its-object the production of a novel and efficient sectional sash-weight .combining a maximum weight for volume in each member or unit, an abso lutely safe and reliable interlock or coupling between adjacent units, and cheapness and simplicity of manufacture.

Certain practical conditions govern the production of a commercially-successful sectional sash-Weight, one of the most important of which is the manufacture thereof at practically a nominal cost, for if this condition is not fulfilled the weight cannot be successfully marketed. Given a satisfactory costof production, it is necessary that the construction of the members, units, or sections be such that they can be easily and quickly connected, and when connected they must be so locked-together as to admit of perfect safety in handling, and they must be or head piece to connect them with the sash chain or cord.

As will appear hereinafter, the sectional sash-weight embodying my invention fulfils in a most satisfactory and efficient manner all of the conditions hereinbefore set forth.

The various novel featuresof my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims. V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of sash-weight embodying my invention, two members or units being coupled to ether. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. igs. 3 and 4 are upper and lower end views, res ectively, of one of the units or members. ig. 5 is a perspective View of oneof the members. Fig. 6 shows two m'emberslocked together, but at right anglesto each other, the head end of the horizontal member bein broken out and in sections. Fig. 7 is a simi ar view, but showing the two members at a greater angle. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section on the line 8 8, Fig. 9, of a modification to be reness of the cross-bar is slight usable withoutthe intervention of'a master ferred to. Fig. 9 is a front elevation thereof, and Fi 10 is a partial section and side elevation 0 yet another modification to be v referred to.

' In the present embodiment of my invention thesash-weight member or unit is made as a casting comprising an elongated body 1,

rectangularv in cross-section and having at its lower'end a central projecting and flat-sided hook 2, having a circular opening 3 and a front entrance 4, the upper and lower faces 5 and 6 of the entrances being arallel' and at right angles to the length 0 the body, as

The lower frontcorclearly shown in Fig. 1. ner of the hook is rounded at 7 for. a purpose to be described. At its upper end the memher is provided with a slot or recess 8, extend- 1 ing through the body from front to back and of a depth very slightly greater than the length of the hook and slightly wider than the thickness of the hook.v A cross-bar 9 s ans the recess from side to side, with ac earance above and below it, the front and back faces 10 11 ofsaid bar being flat and.

parallel to each other and at right angles to the faces 5 6 of'the hook-entrance, while the top and bottom edges 12 of the cross-bar are convexed, preferably on substantially the curvature of the hook-opening 3. The thicky less than the height of the hook-entrance 4, and its height is such that it will pass into and turn within the hook-opening 3 of the next unit or member when coupled thereto. The upper front corners of each member are rounded off, as at 13 oppositely to but with a curvature similar to that of the part 7 of the hook.

In order to connect two members, they are brought into position at right angles to each other, with the hook of the upright member 9 5 inserted in the recess of the horizontal member, the cross-bar 9 of the latter then lying opposite the hook entrance. Now while maintaining such right-angled position the members are given a relative movement to pass the cross-bar through the hook-entrance and into the opening 3 of the hook, as shown IOQ in Fig. 6. Now if the members are'straightened out by a swinging movement (see Fig. 7) to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the crosFbar of the lower member will turn in the hook-opening and the members are in operative position interlocked or coupled to gether. The broad part of the cross-bar 1s now opposite or in front of the hook-entrance,

, cannot then be unlocked or disconnected un-- less there be a relative separating movement of the upright member to the left or the horizontal member to the right to cause the cross-bar of the latter to pass through and out, of the hook-entrance of the upright memher. This is a very important feature of my invention, for it is practically impossible to unlock when two members are at right 'angles unless the hands of the workman impart the additional movement referred to. Thus a with two or more units coupled together and ready to be drawn up" into the weight-box from a horizontal position on the window-sill where the units were assembled the lifting movement brings the first unitupright and at right angles to the next before the latter begins to lift. Unlessat this instant a positive backward movement'is given to the upright unit the two coupled units cannot possibly become uncoupled, and the back of the :weight-box acts to prevent any such backward movement ofthe upright member. I thus obviate any possibility of disconnected members falling into the street while the weights are being installed, the modern high buildings making such accidental falls extremely dangerous.

' the sash to be As every unit is made like all of its fellows, except as .to actual weight, and the latter is determined by the length of the unit, any one will interlock with any other one and will stay locked until positively and purposely unlocked by the intervention of human agency, as described.

The coupling of the-units is a momentary matter, requiring no fitting or adj ustin and as the sash chain or cord is connected with the topmost unit by its cross-bar no master or head-piece or special connection is required.

The units are made in standard weights, so that knowing the approximate weight of hung the requisite counterbalance is made by merely picking out the particular units necessary and coupling them together;

So simple is the interlocking and so obvi ous is the procedure that no directions are required, while it is secure and strong and cannot become unlocked accidentall By an inspection of the drawings 1t will be seen that the loss of weight due to the form of the co fiipling is reduced to a'minimum, for, viewing igs. 1 and 2, the hook of one: unit practically fills the recess of the adjacent unit, the only losses of material being opposite the rounded corners 13 and 7. This is necessary in order to permit the angular movement of the coupled units into coupling position; but it will be seen that the mass of,

be ready for use practically as it comes from .the mold. The-form of the unit, therefore, must be such as can be cheaply molded and cast, and this requirement is met herein, as will be manifest, and 116 grinding, fitting, chip ing, or filing'is necessary when the unit is talienfro-mthe mold, thus reducing the labor costto its lowest terms. As a matter of fact nothing is required other than a slight tumbling to remove the sand adhering to the casting.

It frequently happens that a sectional sash-weight the combination of iron and leadunits would be of very great valuethat is, a weight composed of one or more units of cast-iron and coupled thereto one or more units of leador at times the entire .weight might with great advantage be composed of lead units. The lead issoft, how; ever, liable to bend, and possessing relatively slight tensile strength, so that cast-lead units cannot in practice he interlocked'with each other or with cast-iron units unless some provision is made for strengthening the lead. In my present invention I have rovided means for so strengthening or relnforcing the lead that it can be cast in the same form as the cast-iron unit and used successfully. To this end I reinforce the weak points of the lead units and will refer to Figs. 8 to 10 of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the body portion 20, having the recess 21 at the upper end and the projecting hook 22'at the lower end, and the front entrance 23 for the hook are'all as hereinbefore described, but are cast of lead; but the cross-bar 24 is cast-iron, and the hook-opening is reinforced by a hook-like lining 25 of cast-iron. The cross-bar24 and reinforce 25 are connected by an integral shank 26, bent or offset at its upper end at 27 to connect with one end of the cross-bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 9. The shank, crossbar, and reinforce for the hook will be cast in one piece of iron and then'laid in the mold for the lead body as a species of core, the molten lead being poured around it, embedding the iron in the mass of lead composing the main' portion of the unit. I The offset 27 serves to clear one side of'the recess 21in the body of the unit, While the connection between the cross-bar and the reinforce 25 for. the hook transmits the tensile strain directly from one to the other, taking the strain from the lead forming the hook of the unit.

In Fig. 10 I have shown the lead hook 28 reinforced by a section of iron pipe 29, the

lead being cast about thejsame, andthe cross-bar is made by inserting a flattened piece of piping 30, and the lead when poured fills the same. The piping would be extendw ed far enough each side to be firmly embedded in the lead during theca'sting operation. The

arrangement provides a reinforce and a hard wearing-surface for the parts aifected and revents bending of the hook or of the cross- By combining the lead and iron to make a leadunit feasible a very material saving in cost is efiec'ted, for the total weight of the counter-balance could be" made up-of one;

third to one-halflead units, andthe balance. vcast-iron, where otherwise a non-sectional weight entirely of lead would have to be used. As the cost of ironis only about one-' quarter the cost of lead per pound, the saving will be manifest.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. sectional sash-weight member having at one end a flat-sided, central, projecting hook provided with a front entrance, and at its other end provided with a recess open.

front and back to receive the hook of a'contiguous member, and across-bar in the recess having parallel front and back faces at right angles to the faces of the hook-entrance and a less distance apart than the faces of the hook-entrance, whereby two members can be coupled or uncoupled only when turned at right angles to each other and given a relative movement in such position, the depth of the cross-bar being greater than theheight of the hook-entrance.

2. A sectional sash-weight member rectangular in cross-section and having at one end-a flat-sided projecting hook havingacircular opening and a-front entrance, and at its other end corres ondingly recessed from front to back, an a cross-bar in the, recess having convex upper and'lower edges and upright, parallel front and back faces at'right angles'to the faces of the hook-entrance and, adapted to pass through the entrance of the;

hoo of the next member when two members are turned at right angles and moved relatlvely while in such position, the curvature of the upper and lower edges of the cross-bar corresponding to the curvature of a hookopening.

3.. A sectional sash-weight member rectang'ular in,cross-section and having at one end a flat-sided projecting hook havin a circul-ar opening and a front entrance, an at its other end correspondingly recessed from front to back, the front upper corners of the member being rounded and the end of the V hook being similarly but oppositely rounded, and a crossebar in the recess of greater depth than the hook-opening and havingupri ht front and back faces parallel to each ot er and at right .angles to the opposed faces of the hook-opening, the height of the latter being greater than the thic ess of the crossbar, to permit passage of the cross-bar of one member mto and out of the hook of another 1 member when said members are turned at right angles and given relative movement 1n such position.

4. A sectional sash-weight member having a projecting hook atone end providedwith a front entrance, and at its other end having a recess, and a cross-bar spanning the recess,

whereby the hook of one member can enter the recess in the adjacent end of the nextback, a. cross-bar in the recess, and ahaidmetal reinforce for the cross-bar and hook,

embedded the lead and increasing the resistance of the hook and cross+bar to tensile strain.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' S..SANBORN.-

WILLIAM Witnesses:

WM.Pn1Li;iPs CoMs'rooK, FERDIN ND C. KROMER. 

